· Elohim: Mighty One, “God.” This is not God’s name, but a title or characteristic. The word Elohim can also describe angels or judges or even pagan deities, but in Scripture it usually refers to YHWH. · YHWH: The four-letter Sacred name of Elohim, which means “Who makes what exists.” · Tanakh: Hebrew acronym for the Books of the “Old Testament” (Torah, Neviim, & Ketuvim; i.e., the “Law,” the Prophets, & the Writings). When you hear Yeshuah speak of the Law and the Prophets, He is referring to the Tanakh. · Torah: “God’s” instructions and revelation of His character and of His Messiah · Writings: Books such as Psalms, Proverbs, Song of Solomon, Daniel, Ecclesiastes…. · Tabernacle: a <temporary> place to dwell, a tent, a human body, place of worship · Yeshuah: “Jesus.” Yeshuah is the Aramaic form of the original Hebrew Yehoshuah (i.e., “Joshua”), meaning, “YHWH is salvation.” “Jesus” is an English transliteration of the Greek transliteration of the Aramaic “Yeshuah.” · Ruach HaKodesh: “Holy Spirit” · Pesach: “Passover” · Matzot: “Unleavened Bread” · Sojourner: any person from the nations (an alien, if you will) who wishes to worship the Elohim of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and come into relationship with Him. Also known as a righteous gentile. Netzarim: twigs that shoot off of the branch of a tree. Also, Torah-observant followers of Yeshuah—“saints,” as defined by Isaiah and Revelation (“So the dragon was enraged with the woman, and went off to make war with the rest of her children, who keep the commandments of Elohim and hold to the testimony of Yeshuah.”—Rev.12:17. “Here is the perseverance of the saints who keep the commandments of God and their faith in Yeshuah.” –Rev. 14:12 “Bind up the testimony, seal the Torah among my disciples…. To the Torah and to the testimony! If they do not speak according to this word, it is because they have no dawn.” -Isaiah 8:16 &20).
My Statement of Faith-- I believe that there is but One Elohim, the Elohim of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob: YHWH Almighty, the Father, Creator of the universe. I believe that the Scriptures in their original text are YHWH’s inspired, infallible Word. The Scriptures contain the Tanakh (Torah, Prophets and the Writings) as well as the Apostolic Writings (Matthew through Revelation).
I believe that in the beginning was the Word (i.e., the Torah); that the Torah was in the beginning with Elohim and that Elohim IS the Torah; that the Torah became flesh and tabernacled among us, and that Yeshuah is that Torah in the flesh. The Torah in text reveals the character of Torah—YHWH and Yeshuah—which is Love and Reconciliation.
I believe that Yeshuah is also the Son of Elohim in that He was conceived by the Ruach HaKodesh and born to Mary, a virgin from the lineage of David. Yeshuah willingly gave His life for all of humanity through the suffering under Pontius Pilate and being crucified Roman-style on a cross. Yeshuah died, was buried before sunset on the fourteenth day of the first Biblical month—the evening of Pesach, just before the high Sabbath of Matzot. After sunset, just after the weekly Sabbath, Yeshuah took up His own life again early on the Day of First fruits. This fulfilled His words that he would be in the belly of the earth for three days and three nights and then His temple, after that, would be rebuilt. Yeshuah ascended into heaven. He will return to judge both the living and the dead, and the Kingdom of YHWH will be forever.
I believe that all of Torah is applicable for YHWH’s people today. The laws and statutes were not “done away with” at the cross, but our condemnation for the transgression of those laws and statutes were. Yeshuah paid the price for our sins and His people are free to live in the blessings of Torah obedience.
I believe that Yeshuah did not come to abolish the laws but to confirm, establish and correctly walk them out. Furthermore, Yeshuah taught His disciples to practice Torah observance and to go out into the nations and teach people to do the same. Through Messiah we are no longer “under the Law,” but we uphold it and carry it out as commanded by Yeshuah.
I believe that mankind is saved by the grace of Elohim and not by the works of Torah. The Torah was never meant as a salvation device, but as a love response to our Creator and a blessing to those who abide by it. Our living out Torah defines our faith in Yeshuah—our love for YHWH. I support the Scriptural teaching that anyone who says they love Elohim but doesn’t obey the Commandments is a liar and the truth is not in him. And we actively love Him by living out Torah, through faith, in Yeshuah.
I believe that all who come to YHWH through Messiah Yeshuah are grafted in to His family, called Israel. There is no “church,” only the assembly as originally seen at Mt. Sinai, composed of both native-born Jacob and others from the nations—a mixed multitude. In the family of Elohim there is one set of instructions for both the native born and the sojourner. And all are co-inheritors in His Kingdom. It makes no difference whether one is native born or from the nations, whether one is male or female, a freeman or a servant. All are one in Messiah Yeshuah.
I believe in the Hebrew faith, which began with Abraham, whose faith in YHWH was accredited to him as righteousness. The Hebrew faith is the original faith in the Creator and His Messiah. It was the faith of the assembly at Mt. Sinai. Hebrew means “to cross over,” that is, to cross over from paganism into a relationship with YHWH Almighty, and to cross a border. Hebrew also means “to intimately know the covenant of My Son,” as seen in the ancient Hebrew pictograph. The Netzarim, or the sect called The Way, portrayed this Faith, through Messiah Yeshuah.
I believe that in the last days Zion (Jerusalem) will be established as the chief of the mountains. It will be raised above the hills and ALL the nations will stream to it; that many peoples will come and say, “Come, let us go up to the mountain of YHWH, to the House of the Elohim of Jacob; that He may teach us concerning His ways and that we may walk in His paths. For the Torah will go forth from Zion and the word of YHWH from Jerusalem.” – Isaiah 2:2-3 In other words, all nations will worship YHWH and will be obeying the laws and statutes of Torah.
I believe that the Sabbath is YHWH’s token to the Bride, His people; that it is the seventh day of the week (commonly known as Saturday) and is perpetual. I believe that the Sabbath is the first and foremost of YHWH’s appointed times and stands set apart from the rest, established by the daily cycles of the greater light, the sun. The Sabbath cannot be changed by any institution or doctrine of man. It is the “wedding ring” given by YHWH to His Bride, the Assembly—a covenantal sign between He and Them that remains forever. Yeshuah is master of the Sabbath. The Sabbath remains for the people of Elohim and we are commanded to be diligent in entering that rest. –Hebrews 4:9-11, Isaiah 56:6-8, Exodus 31:13-17, Leviticus 23:1-44, Genesis 2:1-3, Matthew 12:8, Mark 2:27-28, Luke 6:5, Matthew 24:20, Ezekiel 20:12)
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